


You Make Me Smile (Please Stay For A While)

by enby0angel



Category: Naruto
Genre: 90 Mins To Gift, Canon Disabled Character, Discord: Umino Hours, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Flowers, Fluff, Long Hair Iruka, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Umino Hours Exchange, i have diabetes now, iruka's birthday, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 10:54:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24349849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enby0angel/pseuds/enby0angel
Summary: It was rather unusual for Iruka to wake up to a quiet morning, these days.
Relationships: Maito Gai | Might Guy/Umino Iruka
Comments: 8
Kudos: 64
Collections: 90 Mins To Gift - Iruka's Birthday





	You Make Me Smile (Please Stay For A While)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Hexadecimalrebooted](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hexadecimalrebooted/gifts).



> *panting and wheezing*   
> It's been a while since I wrote something on a time limit! This was actually really fun, despite the fact that I nearly lost the entire fic once... let's not talk about that.
> 
> My first fic of this ship!! I had a lot of fun with this one, trying to keep Gai in character while still letting him be soft and gentle. I hope I did okay >.>
> 
> This was done for the 90 Mins to Gift Exchange in the Umino Hours discord server! Cheers to Magnus for organising it, it was so much fun! And thanks for the writing buddies, it was awesome to chat about writing as we go.
> 
> And to Hex: I hope you like your gift!
> 
> The keywords I was given were "quiet" and "green"!
> 
> Enough from me, I hope you all enjoy <3
> 
> (Title from "Bubble" by Colbie Callait.)

It was rather unusual for Iruka to wake up to a quiet morning, these days.

Blinking into awareness, the morning sun streaming through his bedroom window, he stretched up and out, looking over when his arm hit the empty side of the bed next to him. It was cold – Gai had been awake for a while.

Iruka smiled to himself, then managed to push himself up and the covers off. He pulled on the closest shirt – bright green, definitely one of Gai’s – and padded to the bathroom. Once finished, he managed to find a hairtie to pull his hair off his face. It had gotten longer over the years, but he felt no inclination to cut it short. Instead of the somewhat shoulder-length it had been for years, it now touched the bottom of his shoulderblades, near the top of an old scar. He liked it long, and so did his partner.

Speaking of… where _was_ he?

He made his way out to the kitchen, rubbing sleep out of his eyes, only to find it empty as well. Empty, except for a plate on the bench, with a note stuck to the top. Iruka picked up the note, already smiling.

_Iruka_ , it read, _my love!_

_I have left for a small errand, but I won’t be long! In case you wake before I return, here is breakfast ready for you!_

The note was signed with many hearts, and Iruka’s heart swelled. He lifted the paper towel off the plate, to find a stack of still-warm pancakes.

  
  


He was halfway through the stack (and halfway through his second cup of coffee) when he felt a seal on his torso warm pleasantly, followed by the sound of the front door opening and closing. He sat back and smiled as Gai wheeled himself into the kitchen – Gai’s face lit up when he saw Iruka sitting at the table, eating his pancakes, and he sat up impossibly straighter.

“Iruka!” he exclaimed. “Good morning!”

Iruka rested his chin in one hand. “Good morning,” he returned.

Gai grinned brilliantly and deposited the bag in his lap on the floor before coming over to Iruka, who leaned in and kissed him sweetly. Pulling away, Gai asked him, “How do you like your breakfast?”

If someone had told Iruka when Gai’s first genin team graduated the academy that Gai was a master in the kitchen, he probably wouldn’t have been inclined to believe him. That being said, Iruka’s own skills in the kitchen made a very low bar to aspire to, but Gai seemed to lack the finesse required for cooking good meals.

Oh, how delighted he had been to find out he was wrong. “They’re wonderful,” he answered with complete honesty, and he watched as Gai’s eyes sparkled. “What’s the occasion?”

Gai leaned back, staring wide-eyed. “Why, Iruka-sensei, surely you haven’t forgotten the date?” he asked incredulously.

The truth was, Iruka _hadn’t_ forgotten the date, he just kind of hoped that everyone _else_ did. He hadn’t liked big birthday celebrations for decades, and although he knew that Gai knew this, Gai wasn’t exactly known for his subtlety.

(His birthday last year had been a disaster of Gai trying to get their friends together to bake him a cake. Apparently Gai’s baking skills went down the more crazy jounin and tokujo there were in the room.)

Iruka sighed. “I know,” he said. “You didn’t have to do this.”

This only made Gai laugh. “But Iruka, I wanted to!” he said. “I know you appreciate the small things, so I thought I would use my energy to make the small things perfect!”

Gai’s happiness was infectious, and Iruka knew this very well. So he reached out and took one of Gai’s hands in his own. “Thank you,” he said warmly. Gai brought Iruka’s hand up and kissed his knuckles, and Iruka flushed.

Gai stayed with Iruka as he ate, chattering away about how Lee was doing, and what Tenten was up to, and new ways Kakashi had come up with escaping his workload, and just in general about what the citizens of Konoha were up to on this lovely morning. In turn, Iruka talked a little bit about his students and what life was like nowadays at the academy, and ended up going on a tangent about what Naruto was up to these days. Iruka couldn’t seem to stop himself when he started talking about his former student turned pseudo-kid, and Gai never did anything to stop him.

When Iruka had finished eating, Gai insisted on taking the dishes and doing them himself, shooing Iruka away to have a shower. Iruka could only comply with a laugh. When he was done, he emerged with damp hair and a content smile to find the kitchen spotless, and Gai waiting for him with the bag from earlier back in his lap.

“Come on!” Gai exclaimed, wheeling himself over to Iruka and taking his hand, “I have something to show you!” and Iruka found himself being pulled along and out the door, Gai barely giving him enough time to put on his shoes.

They found themselves being greeted by many people along the way, and a group of Iruka’s students ran up to them with a card and a cheerful “ _Happy birthday Iruka-sensei!_ ”. Gai just grinned widely at Iruka’s small and flustered blush.

“Where are we going?” Iruka asked a bit later, but Gai just put a finger to his lips and kept leading the way.

Eventually they made their way into a sector of Konoha more populated by civilians, and Iruka had to admit there was a change in the air here. The people weren’t watching the every move of others (as he knew even Gai was, subconsciously), and everyone seemed to be a bit more at ease. A few familiar faces smiled and said hello to them, but Gai never faltered in his mission.

The roads made way to a small path that Gai led them down, which eventually led into the forests. Iruka didn’t come down this way very often, preferring the forests closer to the academy and the training grounds. But still, he trusted his guide who urged them through the trees.

Gai seemed to get more excited the further they went, and at one point Iruka was almost jogging to keep up with him, hair falling out of its bun. Before he knew it, they had reached a break in the trees and-

Iruka gasped. He looked around them in absolute wonder. Gai had taken them to a field in the forests, one Iruka was _sure_ he didn’t know was there. It was absolutely _filled_ with wildflowers of every colour, making it seem like he was walking on a rainbow. There were butterflies and other insects flitting here and there, all at peace. It was like time didn’t pass in this place. He looked up to the sky, only to see the sun winking down at them, with the occasional cloud passing over.

He turned back to Gai, who was watching him with a face filled with so much _love_ and _adoration_ that Iruka was suddenly blinking back tears. “Do you like it?” Gai asked uncharacteristically quietly.

Iruka just leaned down and kissed him. One of Gai’s hands came up to cradle his cheek, rough and calloused and yet still so gentle that it made Iruka melt. He pulled back, leaning into the hand. “It’s beautiful,” he managed. “How did you find this place?”

Gai grinned. “Lee, of course! He told me he found this lovely clearing one day during his run and that it would be a lovely place to spend a day off.” Iruka laughed, and managed another kiss before Gai nudged him towards the middle of the clearing.

Iruka almost _did_ cry when he saw what was there: one of their softer picnic blankets was spread over the grass and _god_ Iruka was in love with this man. Gai gestured for him to sit down and he did, and Gai lowered himself off of his chair to sit beside him. He held out the bag to Iruka, who took it carefully. Inside was a carefully wrapped present, and Iruka looked back up at Gai.

“You really didn’t have to,” he started, but Gai cut him off with a kiss to his temple, so Iruka sighed and began to unwrap it. Inside were two books in wonderful condition, and Iruka couldn’t stop his wide grin as he saw that they were the two old story and poetry collections he’d been trying to save up for, for a few months. “You didn’t,” was all he could manage. He looked back up to see Gai looking pleased, and he launched at the man, knocking them both to the ground. “I love you,” he murmured into Gai’s neck, and Gai just laughed and repeated the words back to him.

A gentle hand brushed over his scalp, and Gai pulled the tie out of Iruka’s hair. He carefully worked his fingers through the strands, and Iruka sighed contentedly. “I was thinking that perhaps,” Gai began, clearing his throat, “you might read some poetry to me while I do your hair?”

Iruka pushed himself up onto his elbows so he was hovering over his boyfriend, his hair falling around them like a curtain. “I would love to,” he agreed, kissing Gai yet again before helping them both up into a sitting position. Gai situated himself behind Iruka, while Iruka himself sat cross-legged and opened one of the books. It was old, but well-kept, and Iruka flipped through the pages with the practised ease of a bibliophile. He hummed as Gai began to brush through his hair and gently begin to manipulate it to his vision, and Iruka started to read.

Iruka wasn’t sure of exactly how much time they spent out there, but he honestly didn’t care. He was perfectly content to be where he was, and the butterflies and small creatures seemed happy to share their clearing for a day.

When Gai quietly announced that he was finished, Iruka’s hair was in a beautiful braid that swept over one shoulder, and when he brought a hand up he felt the wildflowers that Gai had woven in. He leaned back against Gai, whose arms came up to wrap around him and hold him close. “Thank you,” was all he could say, the words not quite feeling like enough to encompass the warm and wonderful feeling of _home_ that was currently embracing his very soul.

And still, Gai understood, like he always did, so Iruka turned his head and kissed him gently and sweetly, pouring out every emotion he could. When they parted, Gai’s hands holding him like he was the most precious treasure in the world, Gai just murmured “Happy birthday,” and kissed him again.

With the sun shining down and the world around them calm and quiet, Iruka was perfectly content to be at peace.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Comments and kudos are always treasured <3
> 
> (meanwhile, we see the wild Enby in their natural habitat sobbing over Iruka with flowers braided into his hair. What a truly amusing sight.)


End file.
